


Pinkie Promise

by DeanWinchesterPityParty



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Cussing, Dad!Remus, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, M/M, Papa!Sirius, Promises, Remus and Sirius as dads
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-08
Updated: 2018-03-19
Packaged: 2019-03-15 13:11:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 14,318
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13614066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DeanWinchesterPityParty/pseuds/DeanWinchesterPityParty
Summary: James killed Lord Voldemort back in '81, and Remus and Sirius got married and adopted a few children. Raising children comes with its own set of challenges, not the least of which is that children tend to take after their parents.





	1. Little One

            Sirius Black tucked his oldest child into bed and asked her, “Alright, little one, what’ll the story be tonight?”

            Lincoln Lupin-Black bit her lip, and Sirius smiled; though she was only seven, she was already starting to exhibit many of both his and Remus’ behaviors. “Papa, Arcta Lestrange called Daddy a monster and you a blood traitor. Why?”

            Sirius paled. “She did what, now?”

            Lincoln sighed. “Last time we visited Diagon Alley, when we went with Aunt Lily and Uncle James and Harry, Samson and I were playing and we saw Mr. and Mrs. Lestrange with Arcta. Arcta came over and told Samson that his mummy was a ‘Mudblood,’ and she told me that Daddy was a monster who would eat me and Micah up in the night and it would serve you right for being a blood traitor and marrying a half-breed.” She chewed on her lip for a moment before looking up at Sirius. “I’m sorry I said all those mean words, but that’s what Arcta said.”

            Sirius shook his head. “It’s okay, darling, as long as you never say those words to somebody that isn’t Daddy or me, ok? And as for what she said… well, Arcta’s mother and father have some very… backwards beliefs. They think that witches and wizards are better than anyone else in the world, but only if their parents and grandparents and everyone in their family are also witches and wizards. They call themselves ‘Purebloods.’ Arcta called Aunt Lily a ‘Mudblood’ because Aunt Lily’s parents and grandparents are Muggles, and Arcta’s parents think that makes her less important and less talented.”

            “That’s not true, is it?” Lincoln’s brow furrowed just as Remus’ did when he was concerned.

            “No, little one, it’s not. They called Daddy a monster and a half-breed because they don’t understand people like Daddy, and they don’t know him at all. You know your Daddy would never hurt you, right?”

            “Right,” she repeated, then recited, “Daddy would never want to hurt me or Micah, so he takes the potion that helps his mind stay human when his body turns into a werewolf, but just to be careful, we always go stay with Aunt Lily while you and Uncle James stay with Daddy because if the potion doesn’t work or he doesn’t have any, you and Uncle James can turn into animals and keep him safe. But we don’t tell anybody because it’s no one else’s business but our family’s.”

            “Very good, Lincoln, that’s exactly right. So we know that the first two things Arcta told you were wrong, right?”

            “What about the last one? That you’re a blood traitor?”

            “That’s not true, either,” said Remus from the door. He was holding Micah, the six-year old draped over his shoulder with his nose tucked into the crook of Remus’ neck.

            “Well, it’s kind of true, it just doesn’t matter,” Sirius corrected. “Here, I’ll put him to bed if you want to finish with Lincoln,” he offered. When Remus nodded his agreement, Sirius kissed Lincoln’s forehead. “Daddy will finish up, goodnight little one.”

            “Goodnight, Papa.”

            Sirius took Micah and kissed Remus’ lips lightly. Remus smiled against Sirius’ lips before shooing him out of the room. He sat down in Sirius’ spot on Lincoln’s bed.

            “How much did you hear?” Lincoln asked, looking a little fearful.

            Remus smiled and cupped her cheek in his hand. “I heard everything, little one. It’s okay, what Arcta said didn’t hurt my feelings.”

            “But it was mean!”

            “It was mean. But you know something? There are some words that we get so used to hearing, that we realize they don’t make any difference, and then those words stop hurting. You’re a little too young to have heard any mean words enough for them to stop hurting, but I am much, much, much older than you,” with this, he tickled Lincoln’s ribs till she laughed before continuing, “and I know that those words don’t matter to me anymore. What I want to talk to you about is what Arcta called Papa.”

            “She called him a blood traitor,” Lincoln replied, “but I don’t really know what that means.”

            “Arcta’s mummy is Papa’s cousin, did you know that?” When Lincoln shook her head, Remus went on. “Well, before Arcta’s mum married Arcta’s dad, Arcta’s mum had the same last name as Papa. Her name was Bellatrix Black. The Blacks were known for being a very old Pureblood family; if anyone in the family married anything other than a Pureblood witch or wizard, they were disowned. Papa was called the heir, because he was the oldest boy of all the cousins in the Black family. Only Papa didn’t agree with his family’s views on Muggles, Muggle-borns, or people like me.”

            “Werewolves?”

            “Yes, werewolves, and people with only one magical parent. Grandma was a Muggle, remember?”

            Lincoln nodded. “Daddy, were my birth mum and dad a witch and wizard?”

            Remus sighed. “I don’t know about your dad, baby. Your mum was a witch. But it doesn’t matter, not one bit. All that matters is that you are my daughter and I love you very much.”

            “But Papa’s parents didn’t think so.” It wasn’t a challenge, merely a statement. See two families? Spot the differences.

            “That’s right. Papa’s parents expected him to get sorted into Slytherin when he went to Hogwarts. When he was sorted into Gryffindor with me and Uncle James and our friend Peter, they knew he wasn’t like them, and they didn’t like that. Papa and his parents never really got along, and he ran away from home when he was sixteen and went and stayed with Uncle James and his parents. Since what he wanted was more important to him than what his parents wanted, his family called him a blood traitor. And then, they really called him that when he married me instead of a Pureblood witch.”

            Lincoln looked up sharply. “They wanted Papa to marry a witch? But Papa doesn’t like girls.”

            “I know, baby, but some people think that only women and men should be allowed to get married to each other.”

            “Why?”

            Remus sighed and looked at the clock. “I’m not sure, Lincoln. But I’ll tell you what, I’ll try and figure out why by Christmas. It’s very late, and you need to get to sleep. You and Papa and Micah are going to come with me to King’s Cross tomorrow and see me off to Hogwarts, right?”

            Lincoln’s eyes welled up. “Are we really not going to see you again till Christmas?”

            “Oh no!” Remus assured her, “No, no, no. Remember? Some weekends you can come see me in Hogsmeade, and some weekends, I’ll come home to see you, but I will make sure I see you as often as I can, okay? I promise.”

            “Pinkie promise?” Lincoln asked, holding out her little finger.

            Remus hooked his own little finger around Lincoln’s. “Pinkie promise,” he agreed.

            Lincoln nodded, apparently satisfied. “Goodnight, Daddy.”

            “Goodnight, Lincoln.” And Remus kissed her forehead twice for good measure and returned to his and Sirius’s shared bedroom.       

            Once inside, he leaned against the door and muttered, “Your daughter asks more questions than any seven-year old I’ve ever met.”

            Sirius smiled from where he was reading in bed. “She’s curious, just like someone else I know.”

            “I know, she spends far too much time with Lily,” Remus replied with a grin.

            Sirius barked a laugh. “Sure, Moons, she’s picked that up from Lily. We’ll go with that.” Sirius opened his arms to Remus. “Come here.”

            Remus went and laid his head on Sirius’ shoulder. “’M gonna miss you and the kids,” he mumbled.

            Sirius voice rumbled in his chest when he spoke. “We’re gonna miss you, too. But this… this is everything you’ve hoped for, Remus. Teaching Defense, I mean. Plus, Harry is so looking forward to having you for a teacher. He says the last two have been useless, serious prats. You’ll do great.”

            Remus nodded. “I just wish…”

          “What? That we could come with you? I’ve told you, if you want to move to Hogsmeade, I’ll have us there by next weekend.”

           Remus glanced up at Sirius. “You’re serious?”

           “Last I checked,” Sirius joked lightly. “You could come home at the end of the day, rather than staying in the castle. Lincoln and Micah wouldn’t have to ride the train.”

           Remus sighed. “We should stay here. The kids need to learn to be discreet around Muggles and learn to interact with them. That won’t happen if we move to Hogsmeade. Plus, Lincoln loves her grammar school.”

           Sirius groaned. “Fine. I just wanted to be able to see you every day. And, more importantly, every night,” he added suggestively.

           Remus rolled his eyes. “You’re a father of two, Sirius Black.”

          “Last I checked, you don’t get more children by staying in separate beds,” Sirius pouted. 

          Remus snorted. “Sirius, please. We certainly could get more kids and stay in separate beds.”

          Sirius looked up sharply. “You wouldn’t dare.” And without giving Remus a chance to protest, he captured Remus in a bone-searing kiss.

 

          The train station was, as always, packed with Muggles. “Daddy?” Lincoln asked from where she was riding on his trunk in its trolley.

          “Yes, Lincoln?”

          “Where’s the train?”

          “You’ll see, love.” He found the correct barrier. “Do you trust me?” he asked with a grin. Lincoln nodded seriously, so he leaned in and whispered, “You gotta promise not to scream, okay?”

          “I promise, Daddy.”

          “Pinkie promise?” he echoed his daughter’s demand from the night before and held out his little finger. Lincoln nodded and hooked her little finger around Remus’.

          Remus grinned again, throwing a wink at Sirius, and walked purposefully toward the barrier. Lincoln tensed, but did not flinch, even as they were just about to collide with the barrier—and then she laughed aloud, staring about at the crowded platform. “Daddy! Look, we’re here!”

         “I know, love,” he smiled. “Your old man knows what he’s doing from time to time.”

         Sirius and Micah joined them a moment later, Micah with a panicked look on his tiny face. “Daddy!” he cried when he saw Remus, and ran over to him.

         Sirius shot a disgruntled look to Remus. “You could’ve warned me you were going,” he grumbled. “About scared poor Micah to death.”

         “It’s okay, Micah,” Remus assured the six-year old as he swept him up in a hug. “It’s okay, Daddy’s right here.”

         “Don’t go, Daddy,” Micah insisted. “Stay with us!”

         Remus felt his heart break. He pressed a kiss to his son’s cheek and whispered, “Daddy’s gonna go, but he’ll talk to you in the fireplace every night and come visit as soon as he can, okay, Micah?”

         “Stay!” Micah insisted.

         “Micah, Daddy’s gonna go teach lots of big kids how to be proper wizards, so they can be Aurors like Uncle James!” Lincoln told her little brother brightly. “He’s got the coolest job in the whole wide world!”

         Remus and Sirius beamed. “Speaking of Uncle James,” Sirius said, “There he is! With Harry and Samson! Go see Harry before he goes!”

         When the kids had run off, Sirius turned to Remus. “Merlin, Moons, I’m going to miss you,” he said, running his thumb along a scar on Remus’ cheek.

         Remus leaned into Sirius’ hand. “I’m going to miss you, too. Keep them safe, Pads, promise?”

         Sirius held out his little finger with a grin. “Pinkie promise.”


	2. Just Like Sirius

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lincoln is eleven years old and ready for Hogwarts!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Super short chapter, but the next two will be a bit longer!

     Exactly four years later, Lincoln Lupin-Black pushed a trolley along behind both of her fathers. Her ten-year old brother Micah was sitting on top of her trunk and pestering her with questions, while Sirius carried the newest addition to the family, a five-year old girl named Cassi.

     “What House will you be in?” Micah asked.

     “Gryffindor, I hope,” she replied. “Like Papa and Dad. But Dad says it doesn’t matter what House I’m in, just so long as I study hard and make friends. He says he doesn’t care if I’m a Slytherin or a Ravenclaw or a Hufflepuff or a Gryffindor, as long as I’m nice to the other students and work my hardest, he’ll be proud of me.”

     “I’m going to be a Ravenclaw,” Micah announced, “Because they get to go on to do cool things like Newt Scamander did.”

     “Newt Scamander was a Hufflepuff, Micah,” Lincoln reminded him. “It’s not your House, but your passion and hard work that determine what you can do in life,” she recited, a lesson Remus had been assuring her of the entire summer.

 

     “But you and Papa were Gryffindors!” she would insist, “So I’ve got to be a Gryffindor!”

     Sirius shook his head. “It can be a very good thing to break the tradition, or a good thing to uphold it. Look at me, my whole family were Slytherins. I went to Gryffindor and met my best friends.”

     “And Peter!” Lincoln reminded him.

     “Peter was a good friend for a very long time, Lincoln,” Remus admonished quietly. “He was just too afraid to do the right thing in the end.”

     “But there isn’t any point being too angry anymore, is there? Peter went to Azkaban, and we stopped Voldemort before he could hurt Harry; well, Uncle James stopped him.”

     “The point is, your House doesn’t define you,” Remus said. “Gryffindors are meant to be brave, but Peter was too afraid in the end. Slytherins are supposed to be so bad, but Papa’s brother Regulus was the reason we could bring Voldemort to his end. Hufflepuffs are supposed to be so friendly and all, but do you remember Mr. Scamander? Preferred creatures to people, didn’t he? Your House just puts you with people who value the same things you do.”

     Lincoln had sighed heavily. “Fine. But if I’m not put into Gryffindor, I’m going to come to your office and demand a hot chocolate.”

     Remus smiled. “Okay, that’s fair.”

 

     Now, Lincoln looked up at her Papa, who had proud tears in his eyes. “Write home as often as you can, little one, okay?” he reminded her. “Dad will take good care of you, but _I_ want to hear from you as well.” He bent low to whisper in her ear. “Let me know what pranks you get  up to. No matter what House you’re in, I bet Harry will give you some good pointers.”

     “And you won’t tell Dad?”

     Sirius assumed a face of mock-offense. “You think I would tell your father you were carrying on his proud legacy?”

     “Papaaaa.”

     “Fine, I promise I won’t tell him.”

     Lincoln held out her little finger with her eyebrow cocked. “Doesn’t count till you Pinkie promise, Papa.”

     “Lincoln! You don’t trust… okay, okay!” Sirius laughed as he linked his Pinkie with Lincoln’s. “I Pinkie promise not to tell your dad about what you get up to unless you’re in danger.”

     “Papa!”

     “That’s as good as it’s getting, Lincoln. If you put yourself in danger… just don’t, okay?” he implored, pushing Lincoln’s sandy hair away from her freckled face and cupping her cheeks in his hands.

     “Okay, fine,” Lincoln agreed, rolling her eyes. Sirius held out his little finger, mirroring her cocked eyebrow. “Ugh, fine, Papa. I Pinkie promise I won’t put myself in danger.”

     Sirius sighed with relief and kissed his daughter’s cheek. “Go on, go hug your brother and sister, then get on the train. I love you,” he reminded her one more time.

     Remus watched with a smile at the exchange, then slipped over to kiss Sirius once more. “It’s hard, isn’t it?” he asked.

     Sirius hid a sniff. “Yeah. It is. Keep an eye on—okay, okay I know.”

     Remus continued to glare. “She’s mine, too, Pads. Don’t worry. Just take care of Micah and Cassi, and I’ll be home to visit.”

     “But, Lincoln—“

     “She can wait till Christmas, and so can you. She’ll write, trust me.”

     That evening, Lincoln waited nervously in line with the girl she’d met on the train, Kenna. “Where do you want to go?” Lincoln asked her.

     “Gryffindor, of course. Red is my color,” she explained, and Lincoln thought she was likely right.

     “Elfige, Kenna,” called Professor McGonnagall.

      The hat had barely touched Kenna’s thick yarn twists when it declared, “Gryffindor!” Kenna beamed, winked at Lincoln, and joined the Gryffindor table, where she was the first new student. She sat next to Hermione Granger, who Lincoln knew was one of Harry’s best friends.

     Lincoln paid little attention. “Jenkins, Maggie,” joined Kenna, and “Laarman, Hope,” went to Ravenclaw, and then Professor McGonnagall called, “Lupin-Black, Lincoln.”

     Remus leaned forward in his seat, sending a smile to his daughter. Lincoln smiled back, willing her steps not to falter. _It doesn’t matter. It’s just to put you with the right people_ she told herself. She sat on the stool and the hat dropped over her eyes.

     “Ah,” whispered a voice in her ear, “You must be the girl that Sirius Black and Remus Lupin took in.”

_Yes,_ she thought fiercely. _I’m their oldest daughter._

     “What should I do with you?”

_Gryffindor,_ she pleaded. _Put me with the Gryffindors._

     “Are you sure? You would do well in Hufflepuff, you’re a hard worker. Or in Slytherin, you know, you clearly want great things. Maybe Ravenclaw, if you’ve got one tenth the intelligence of either of your adoptive fathers-“

_Don’t say it like that_ , she snapped in her mind. _They’re no less my parents than any biological parents ever were. My biological parents didn’t want me, and my dad and my papa love me._

     “Oh-ho, you’re just like Sirius,” the hat observed. “Better be… GRYFFINDOR!”

     Lincoln leapt from the stool, beaming, and thought, _Thanks_ , before returning the hat to the stool and bounding to meet Kenna and Maggie.

     That night, Remus penned a quick note to Sirius:

_Pads-_

_Lincoln was placed in Gryffindor. She’s doing well so far, already made friends and everything. She’ll be fine._

_-Moony_


	3. Night in the Woods

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Remus has always been very careful, but Lincoln takes after her papa.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry. I said this would be longer, but it just worked out this way.

            The following June, the day after he and Lincoln returned from Hogwarts, Remus went to measure out his wolfsbane potion for the night and felt a surge of panic tighten his chest.  “Oh, no,” he muttered. “Sirius!”

            Sirius came in, a book in one hand and his wand in the other, twirling the latter idly. “Yeah, Moony?”

            Remus held up the empty bottle. “The kids were playing in here earlier, they must have knocked it over.”

            Sirius put down the book and pocketed his wand. “Shit. What do you want to do? James will be here in a few minutes.”

            “I mean, there’s always the cellar, but…” Remus shuddered, remembering the cold, dark room he’d spent his transformations in for most of his life. Before he could say anything else, Sirius shook his head.

            “No, not the cellar. Look, the only house within ten miles of here is empty, the Lewis’s are out of the country for a week. Prongs and I can keep you away from any people, why don’t we go out like we used to?”

            Remus bit his lip. “I don’t know, Pads.”

            A loud _whoosh_ from the fireplace announced James’ arrival. When James strolled into the study, Remus held up the empty potion bottle. “The kids knocked over my potion and didn’t tell me.”

            James clapped his hands together. “Well, gents, who’s ready for a night in the woods?” he asked grandiosely. Spotting the unamused look on Remus’ face, he added, “Which will, of course, be as bland and mundane as possible.”

            Remus sighed and stared at the floor. “I… I should go into the cellar.”

            Sirius pulled Remus’ gaze up to his own with a hand under his jaw. “Don’t, Moons. That place… I mean, it’s up to you, but that place is awful.”

            Remus offered Sirius a half-smile. “You’ll keep me away from anyone?”

            “Promise,” and Sirius extended his little finger. Remus grinned and linked his Pinkie with Sirius’.

            Lincoln knew that, technically, it was wrong to leave her younger siblings alone in someone else’s home. She knew it was wrong to feign sleep until Lily turned in for the night, then sneak out of bed. She also knew that most adults would be furious to know that she had nicked her uncle’s broom and flown thirty miles to land in a tree in the woods near her house. If her parents or godparents ever learned about her actions tonight, she would likely never be allowed to leave the house again.

            But none of that mattered, not really, because Lincoln Rose Lupin-Black simply _had_ to see what her dad looked like as a wolf. She knew her papa took the form of a great, shaggy black dog and that her godfather took the form of a magnificent stag, but those were different. Her papa and her uncle had complete control over _those_ transformations. Her dad, on the other hand… well, that was another story.

            Lincoln nestled the broom in between two sturdy branches above her so that it wouldn’t fall, then sat comfortably with one leg hanging down off the wide branch, the other stretched out in front of her, and her back against the warm bark of the oak. From here, she could see her home, as well as a clearing only twenty or so meters away. If her dad was out tonight—and she was certain he would be—she’d be sure to see him.

            Padfoot hadn’t been properly out and about in years; he knew the wolf preferred to stay inside these days. Prongs looked as thrilled as he was to be out with the wolf again, stretching his legs and running full-tilt for the first time in what felt like forever. The wolf was… different than he had been in a long time. He was more focused on hunting, and Padfoot and Prongs kept having to push him away from the edges of the wood and lead him off in another direction.

            Suddenly, the wolf looked up from where the pond he had been drinking from and let out a bone-chilling howl before sprinting away.

            Lincoln sat up straighter when she heard the howl. Surely, that had to be her dad. She slowly stood up on the branch, one hand gripped onto a limb above her for balance, and looked around. Then, suddenly, he was _right_ there.

            On the path below her, a tall, scarred wolf stood up on its hind legs and howled again. Lincoln only had time to register that its eyes were not her father’s usual amber eyes, but a wild, glowing yellow before those same eyes locked on her and the wolf growled. At the noise, she took an instinctive step backward, and then she was falling.

            Padfoot and Prongs were only meters behind the wolf when something came crashing down from a nearby tree, something that made a noise that sounded suspiciously like, “Oh, shit!” in an all-too familiar voice. Padfoot caught the scent and his mind flooded with images of golden freckles and missing teeth, sandy blonde braids and Muggle books and “Papa, please?” and, now, “Daddy, no!” and the iron tang of blood in the air.


	4. It's Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Remus and Sirius prepare for Lincoln's first full moon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ANGST AHEAD

          The following month, exactly in the middle of the summer holiday, Remus Lupin began packing his suitcase in his study. It was approaching evening on the night of the full moon, and for the first time since he was a school boy, Remus was afraid for someone other than himself. He latched the suitcase and turned to find his husband standing in the doorway.

          “You’re leaving?” Sirius asked, unsurprised and extremely unimpressed.

          “You know I have to,” Remus replied, his voice shaking. “I’m a monster, Sirius. I cursed my daughter to the same life I’ve had to lead.”

          Sirius nodded, lighting a new fire of panic in Remus’ chest. “You have,” Sirius agreed, “but you didn’t do it at the last full. You didn’t do it when you bit her. You’re doing it now.” Sirius’ voice was a low growl as he approached Remus and seized the suitcase.

           “Sirius, I— “

           “Don’t start, Remus. Your twelve-year old daughter saw you packing and ran to her room. She’s crying her eyes out because she thinks that you-“ and Sirius shoved Remus’ shoulder- “hate her now.”

          “No!” Remus protested, glancing in the direction of Lincoln’s room.

          “Yes,” Sirius confirmed. “Do you know what she said to me, Remus? She said, ‘Papa, Daddy’s leaving. He hates me, he doesn’t want me now that I’m ruined. I thought he’d still love me, because he’s like me, but he’s leaving.’ And she wouldn’t even let me hold her because she’s afraid to hurt me.” Sirius’ grey eyes burned with rage. “If you go, Remus, you are dooming Lincoln to the same childhood of fear and doubt and self-loathing that you had to live through. If you can live with that, then fucking go,” he snarled, shoving Remus’ suitcase into his chest, “but don’t you ever come back. You could stay, you could help Lincoln through her transformations, since she’s too young and too small to take the wolfsbane potion. But if you’d rather run away, then do it, Remus, and _stay gone_.”

          “Sirius, what if I hurt her again?” Remus demanded loudly.

          “You can’t!” Sirius shouted back. “You bloody idiot, you can’t! Lincoln… I couldn’t stop her from coming out into those woods. I didn’t… didn’t catch her in time,” Sirius sobbed, the noise ripping from his chest. “You don’t get to leave us, Remus, because I don’t know how to make this easier for her!”

         Remus dropped the suitcase and pulled Sirius close, letting him sob against his chest. “You couldn’t have stopped her, Sirius. And you couldn’t have stopped me. It’s just a miracle you and James kept me from killing her.” He ran his hand through Sirius’ thick, shoulder-length hair, certain that there was more grey in the ebony hair than was there a month ago. Remus sighed heavily. “This isn’t your fault, Sirius. But you’re right, I don’t get to just leave. I need to go talk to Lincoln. Will you bring some blankets down to the cellar?”

         “We can’t-“

         “We have to, Sirius. She will hurt somebody if we don’t. Bring the blankets down to the cellar, take the kids to Lily’s, and then come back with James.” Remus’ voice was finally firm, no longer shaking or unsure.

         Sirius nodded and left, and Remus went to Lincoln’s room. He could hear her barely-stifled sobs. He knocked gently and called, “Lincoln, may I come in?”

         There was no answer, so Remus went into the room. Lincoln was sitting cross legged on her bed, staring out the window. “I owe you an apology. Well, about a thousand, actually,” Remus amended, wincing. “But I never meant to make you feel as if I don’t love you anymore.”

          “But you don’t,” Lincoln flung back. “You’re leaving, aren’t you?”

          Remus sighed and sat next to her. “Look at me, darling,” he urged. When she did, her eyes were no longer green like they’d been all her life, but the same amber-yellow as his own. “I’m not leaving. I was going to, because I let my fear of hurting you or Micah or Cassi take over. But your papa talked some sense into me. I won’t let you go through this alone.”

         “You’re not leaving? You don’t hate me?” Lincoln asked in a small voice.

          “Of course not, darling,” Remus assured her. Before he could continue, Lincoln launched herself into his arms, sobbing. “It’s okay,” Remus murmured, tucking her head under his chin and slowly rocking her. “I’ve got you.”

          “Daddy, I’m scared,” Lincoln sobbed into Remus’ sweater. “Is it going to hurt?”

           Remus blinked back tears. “Yes, Lincoln. I’m not going to lie to you, it’s going to hurt a lot. But Papa and I will be with you, and we’ll keep you as safe as we can. We’ll do our best to keep you from hurting yourself too much.”

           Lincoln glanced up at him. “Am I gonna have scars like you?” she asked. She had stopped crying when she learned that Remus and Sirius would stay with her.

          “Most likely, yes. I’m sor-“

           “Good.” Lincoln nodded resolutely. Remus gaped at her. “That’s good. I don’t want to hide this, I don’t want to run from it. I’m gonna be brave and honest like you, Daddy.”

          “Lincoln, I’m… I am so sorry. You can’t take wolfsbane yet, not till you’re seventeen. It could kill you if you tried to now. So we have to…” Remus trailed off, unable to say the words.

          “The cellar?” Lincoln guessed. When Remus nodded, she asked, “You’ll still take the potion, right? Uncle Prongs can’t fit in that cellar, and two werewolves would probably be more than Papa could handle.”

          Remus nodded. “Uncle Prongs will stand guard outside the cellar in case anything goes wrong. You’ll be safe. I promise.”

          “Pinkie promise?” Lincoln asked in a small voice, her little finger outstretched.

          Remus linked his little finger with Lincoln’s. “Pinkie promise. Now come on, love. It’s time.”

          Remus stopped in his study to take the wolfsbane potion, then took Lincoln’s hand and led her downstairs. James and Sirius were just stepping out of the fireplace.

          “Hey, Linc, how are you holding up?” James asked, concern in his voice that he was trying to cover with casualness.

          “Ask me that in about-“ Lincoln looked out the window- “ten hours, when this bullshit is over.”

          James laughed. “Sorry, she’s funny!” he protested when Sirius hit him.

          “Glad you think so, Uncle Prongs,” Lincoln deadpanned, indicating Remus’ death grip on her shoulder.

          “You’re hilarious, Lincoln,” Sirius assured her. “Your dad’s just starting to feel the moon.” And he pointed to the dark sky.

          “Come on, love. It’s going to start soon.” Remus steered Lincoln outside, to the cellar.

          “Dad, my clothes, they’ll rip,” Lincoln said.

          “Just take them off. See, Papa brought blankets we can cover up in until we change,” Remus told her gently.

          The cellar was no longer the cold, dank room Remus remembered from his childhood. When James closed the doors behind them with a call of, “Good luck, Moonslet,” Sirius lit the candles he’d brought down with a wave of his wand. The soft glow revealed a relatively clean room with a nest of pillows and blankets in the middle. Sirius changed into the shaggy black dog, and Remus turned to give his daughter privacy as she undressed.

          When Lincoln was sitting on a pillow and waiting for the moon to come, Sirius brought over the softest blanket, draping it over her shoulder. “Thanks, Papa,” she said, then turned to Remus. “Daddy, I think… I think I can feel it coming.”

           Remus nodded. “You feel the itch? Look, the hair is coming first. Trust me, it’ll… well it’ll be over soon.”

           Sirius whined and nuzzled Lincoln’s cheek, trying to comfort her.

           Remus watched, barely noticing his own transformation, as Lincoln’s bones rearranged, cracking and snapping sickeningly. He kept waiting for her to cry out with the pain—indeed, he had done so every transformation until he was nineteen—but she never did. Several long moments passed, and a small wolf with impossibly long limbs and sandy fur stood in Lincoln’s place. The wolf sniffed the air, searching for the scent of human prey, and howling her rage when she didn’t find it.

           Sirius barked sharply and Remus growled a warning to him. Sirius took a playful stance, hoping to bring some fun to his daughter’s fear, but the wolf had taken over Lincoln, and wasn’t interested in playing. She took to pacing, biting and scratching at herself all the while. She spotted the crack of moonlight coming from the cellar door and loped over to the door, scratching at it and whining.

           Remus snarled sharply at her, shoving her away from the door and growling. He asserted himself as the alpha easily. The young wolf recognized his scent; this was her father, her maker, and the dog was familiar too. But she wanted blood and meat and there was none to be found. Frustrated, she returned to taking out her destructive energy on herself. Sirius whined again and Remus snapped his teeth at her, but she paid them no mind.

           Hours later, the she-wolf had exhausted herself. She was bleeding from three nasty cuts on what would become her left forearm, but she was asleep in the nest of blankets with Sirius curled protectively around her.

           Remus watched them sleep, feeling an unexpected burst of affection for the two of them, as well as a glimpse of hope. Without a doubt, this would make Lincoln’s life immeasurably more difficult. But for now, while he and Sirius could protect her, perhaps it wouldn’t be as difficult for her as it had been for Remus as a child.

            Around 4:30 in the morning, Remus and Lincoln both woke from their slumbers to change back to human, and Lincoln was barely back into her jeans and tank top before Remus had pulled her into his arms, kissing the top of her head.

            “You did so well, Lincoln,” he murmured into her sandy hair. “You did so, so well.”

            “’M thirsty,” she croaked. Remus chuckled and found the water bottles in the bag Sirius had brought down.

            “How do you feel?” Remus asked as Lincoln drank quickly.

            Lincoln tore herself from the water, gasping. She made to speak, but instead, turned and was sick on the floor. “That about sums it up,” she quipped. Then she leaned heavily on Remus’ arm.

            “That’s normal, love. Here, lie down with Papa. I’ll heal your arm and bandage it, you go to sleep.”

            Lincoln lie back down, pillowing her head on Sirius’ furry side. “It’s going to scar. Daddy, is it always going to be like this?”

            “Yes, Lincoln. I’m so sorry.”

            “Daddy, it was my fault.”

            Remus looked up from bandaging Lincoln’s arm. “Darling, don’t say that.”

            “No, Dad, I… I wanted to see what you were like as a wolf. And I knew that you were out of wolfsbane, because Micah and I knocked the bottle over when we were playing. I thought if I stayed in the tree, you wouldn’t be able to smell me, so I took Uncle Prongs’ broom and I flew over here from his house…”

            “Lincoln, I know,” Remus said gently, and finished with the bandage. “I know. It’s alright. I’m not angry, and Papa’s not angry with you, either. Go to sleep, baby girl. Things will look much better in the morning.”

            Lincoln fell asleep almost instantly, and Remus curled around her and Sirius, pulling a blanket up to cover them.


	5. Pup

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The day after Lincoln's first transformation involves a few visitors of varying intent.

            Remus was woken a few hours later by James’ shout. “Sirius! Remus! Get up here!”

            Sirius stirred as well, shifting instantly as he leapt to his feet. “What is it?” he asked, following Remus up into the sunlight. Instantly, Sirius knew something was very wrong, because Remus’ hand flew to his wand and pointed it threateningly at the huge, filthy man approaching.

            “That’s no way to greet your father, boy,” the man snarled. “Especially now you’ve got a pup yourself, and gone and made me a grandwolf.”

            “Leave now, Greyback. So help me, if you come near my daughter…” Remus left the threat open-ended, implying violence beyond description.

            “She should be with her own kind.”

            “She will be _nothing_ like you and your pack,” Remus spat.

            “Papa? Dad?” came Lincoln’s voice from behind them.

            “Lincoln, go inside with Uncle James. _Now_ ,” Remus ordered, his eyes not leaving Greyback, who spoke as James took Lincoln’s hand.

            “Come here, grandpup. I want to look at your face,” he growled.

            “Lincoln, I said,” Remus warned as Lincoln stepped between Remus and Sirius, but Lincoln cut him off.

            “I know you,” she said to Greyback. “You’re Fenrir Greyback. You bit my dad. What are you doing here?” Lincoln’s voice was sharp and extremely hostile.

            “I’ve come to take you to join my pack. You should be with other wolves; humans will never understand you,” Greyback added.

            Lincoln glared at him. “When a person is bitten, they must choose whether to be more human or more wolf. I will make the same choice that my father did. I am not a monster like you.” She spoke without wavering, sounding like a young woman rather than the little girl who had gone into the cellar the night before.

            Greyback grimaced. “I can make you come, little pup.”

            At this, Remus, Sirius, and James all made unintelligible sounds of rage, and Remus and Sirius each grabbed one of Lincoln’s shoulders. She smirked. “I don’t recommend you try it. You touch me, and my papa, my daddy, and my uncle will rip your bloody heart out.” All three men nodded.

            “You’ll join me eventually, pup,” Greyback promised, then Disapparated.

            As soon as he was gone, Lincoln sagged backwards into Sirius’ arms. “Lincoln!” Sirius breathed as he caught her. “Baby, are you okay?”

            Lincoln’s eyelids fluttered as she nodded, clearly fighting to stay awake. “’M okay. ‘M… tired.”

            Sirius lifted her gently. “Come on, let’s go get you into your pajamas and into bed.” He carried her inside, James and Remus following behind him.

            Inside, James turned to Remus. “I’ll go get Micah and Cassi and bring them back,” he said.

            Remus clapped his shoulder. “Thank you, Prongs.”

            “Anything for my favorite mutts,” James quipped with a grin. He disappeared into the fireplace and a swirl of green flames before Remus could smack his arm.

            Remus followed Sirius up to Lincoln’s room. Her voice was weak when she told Sirius, “You don’t… I don’t need you to carry me, Papa. I can walk.”

            When he replied, Sirius’ voice was hoarse and utterly wrecked from worry. “I know you can, little one, but I need to hold onto you. Just let your papa carry you this time.”

            Lincoln nodded and rested her head on Sirius’ shoulder, her nose in the crook of his neck. Once they were in Lincoln’s room, he set her down on her feet and Remus asked, “Do you feel okay? Do you need any help changing?” while he found Lincoln’s favorite pajamas and set them on her bed.

            “No, thank you, Daddy. I’ll let you know when I’ve changed, but can you… can you and Papa tuck me in?” Lincoln’s voice faltered.

            “Of course we will,” Remus assured her. A moment later, when Lincoln called out, he followed Sirius back into Lincoln’s bedroom. “Oh, baby,” he whispered as soon as he saw her; she was pale as the moon and her whole body was covered in scratches, although most of them wouldn’t scar.

            “I probably should have had you help me change,” Lincoln admitted, swaying on her feet.

            Sirius pulled back the blankets and he and Remus each took one of Lincoln’s hands, guiding her to lie down. “Lincoln, I know you’re exhausted, but I’ve got to tell you,” Sirius said with a grin, conjuring two chairs and sitting in one so he was near Lincoln’s knees, “you handled Greyback like a badass.”

            Remus sat in the chair closer to Lincoln’s head and took her hand. “You were so brave,” he agreed in a husky voice.

            Lincoln pointed to the Gryffindor banner on her headboard. “I guess that hat knows what it’s talking about. Good to know, after a millennium of placing kids where they belong.” She closed her eyes and murmured, “Can one of you stay with me for a while? I know one of you has to take care of the kids… but I don’t want to be alone just yet.”

            Sirius and Remus nodded and Remus spoke. “I’ll stay, baby. Papa and I will take turns, you won’t be alone for a while.” He chuckled. “In fact, I doubt you’ll be alone for a day or two. Papa and I are shook up, too-“

            Before he could continue, Lincoln cut him off with a soft snore. “I’ll go take the kids from Prongs so that he can get home,” Sirius said, standing. “And Moons? She’s gonna be okay. She’s as tough as her dad.”

            Remus only nodded, raising Lincoln’s hand to press his lips to her fingers. Once Sirius had left, Remus began speaking to his sleeping daughter. “I am so sorry,” he whispered. “I am so, so sorry I’ve done this to you.” He kissed her hand again. “When you came to us… I came across your mother while I was doing research on grindylows, you see, and she had come to the UK from somewhere in the colonies. She was running from your biological father, and said she needed to find a wizarding family who would take you in, that she couldn’t risk him finding you. She showed you to me, and you were so tiny, Lincoln Rose. I didn’t even think, I told her Sirius and I would take you, and she told me your name and gave you to me and then Disapparated on the spot.”

            Remus bit back his tears. “You needed me, and you needed Sirius, and you were so, so helpless. And I swore to myself that I would always protect you, that I’d never let anything hurt you. And I am so, so sorry that I failed you.”

            “You haven’t failed her, Remus,” said a firm, familiar voice.

            “Albus!” Remus said, turning to the new arrival. The man smiled gently under his long, silver beard and Remus asked, “What are you doing here?”

            “I wanted to see how she’s holding up,” Dumbledore replied, indicating Lincoln. “She looks like she’s being well cared for.”

            “I’m no Poppy,” Remus admitted, “but I don’t think she needs anything but rest right now.”

            Dumbledore nodded, sitting down next to Remus. “No one can know it was you who bit her, Remus,” he said gravely.

            “I know,” Remus murmured. “We’ll say that I had taken my potion and was in my study with Sirius and James like usual, and that Sirius heard her scream. He’ll say that when he found her, the werewolf was already gone.” Remus sighed. “She says she doesn’t want to try keeping this a secret.”

            Dumbledore nodded. “I think that is very brave and very wise of her. As her scars appear, and with your condition being public, hiding it would only lend suspicion toward you. And besides, we can never hope to improve the lives of werewolves if we continue to stigmatize the condition. And, it will only be four and a half years till she can take wolfsbane.”

            Remus scoffed. “That’s at least fifty-four transformations, Albus.”

            Dumbledore bowed his head in apology. “You’re right. I only meant that she’ll be able to spend her transformations with you watching over her until she can make them less dangerous.”

            Lincoln blinked awake blearily. “Daddy?”

            Remus turned his attention to her instantly. “I’m here, baby. What is it?”

            “I heard… oh. Hello, Professor Dumbledore,” she said as she spotted the source of the voice that had woken her. “Why are you in my bedroom?”

            Remus stifled a chuckle and Dumbledore smiled. “I wanted to tell you what the plan is for your transformations at Hogwarts.” At his words, Lincoln sat up and nodded, signaling that she was listening. “Your father will take you to the Shrieking Shack by the tunnel under the Whomping Willow. He will retrieve you from your common room the night of the moon, and return you to the infirmary the following morning. You will tell your classmates that you do not know who bit you—even better, say you remember nothing from the night you were bitten,” Dumbledore added.

            “Lie to my friends?”

            “Lincoln, I’m sorry,” Remus said, “but this is essential. If word gets out that it was me… it is likely I would be put to death.”

            Lincoln’s eyes grew wide, then she nodded. “Of course, Daddy. I wasn’t thinking.” She sighed. “I’ll just say I don’t remember anything.”

            Dumbledore clapped his hands together warmly. “Lovely. Now that’s all settled, if you’re feeling up to it, I believe your siblings would like to see you.”

            “Albus, she needs rest,” Remus admonished.

            “I want to see them! Daddy, can I?” she asked.

            Remus sighed. “You stay in bed. I’ll bring them in.”

            When he was gone, Dumbledore commented, “You take after Sirius,” with a smile. “Don’t think I don’t know how Mr. Potter and the Weasleys taught you to fill their shoes last year.”

            Lincoln grinned. “Papa says it’s a shame to waste talent. I’m good at Transfiguration and Charms, so I can do some cool stuff.”

            Before the conversation could continue, Cassi vaulted into Lincoln’s bed, diving under the covers to cuddle her sister, and asked, “Lincoln, are you okay?”

            “I’ll see you in September, Miss Lupin-Black,” Dumbledore said with a smile, taking his leave.

            Lincoln waved to him before hugging her six-year old sister close. “I’m okay, Cassi.” She looked up to where eleven-year old Micah stood in the doorway. “Micah, it’s okay. You can come in.”

            Remus stood at the door and watched as Micah climbed into the chair closest to Lincoln’s head. “How do you feel?” he asked quietly.

            “I’m tired, and I’m pretty sore, but I’m okay,” Lincoln assured him.

            Micah held out a chocolate frog. “I thought you might be hungry. And I know these are your favorite, so I nicked one from Samson’s room.”

            “Thank you, Micah,” Lincoln said, taking it and opening it. “It’s Uncle Regulus and I’ve got three of him. D’you want the card?”

            When he took it from her, he asked, “What’s it like?”

            Lincoln took a bite of the frog, thinking. “I can’t remember much,” she admitted. “But it started out being really itchy… then Papa brought me a blanket.  Then… I don’t really remember. I was… so hungry. And then awhile later, I woke up and changed back into a human, and Dad bandaged my arm, and I went back to sleep. Now I’m just really tired.”

            Micah climbed into bed, so that Lincoln was sandwiched between her younger brother and sister. He leaned on her shoulder, and the three fell asleep within moments.


	6. We're Gryffindors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lincoln and her friends on the train (pure fluff for the sake of fluff)

            Two days after her next transformation, Lincoln found her best friend Kenna, a girl from London with long hair that she wore in yarn twists and big eyes that Lincoln often said made it impossible for her to lie. “Kenna!” she squealed as she hugged the other girl.

            “Lincoln, you’re… so pale!” Kenna said, her voice tinged with concern.

            “I know,” Lincoln sighed. “Full moon was the night before last, so I’m still recovering. But hey, check out these scars!” and she showed Kenna the scars on her forearm from the first transformation, and the long new one that stretched from below her waistband to just over her navel.

            “Badass,” Kenna agreed. “Come on, let’s get on!”

            “Wait, I gotta say goodbye to my papa!” Lincoln turned to find that Sirius had already ushered Micah onto the train, and was now waving her over.

            “Be good,” he told her, cupping her face in his hands. “And if you can’t be good, at least be safe.” Sirius kissed her forehead. “Write to me. Take care of Micah. Tell Professor McGonnagall she’s fabulous. For Merlin’s sake, please convince Harry to ask out the Weasley girl.”

            “Yes, Papa,” she laughed. “I love you. And you, Cassi,” she added before following Kenna onto the train and into a compartment with other Gryffindor second-years.

            Much to her surprise, they all seemed to know about her being bitten—“My mum writes for the Prophet, she said that story dominated for a week!” said Sawyer Stilson with a grin—and not one of them seemed frightened or intimidated by her.

           “Can you remember what it’s like to be a wolf?” asked Maggie Jenkins.

           “No, just that I’m _really_ hungry,” Lincoln replied shyly.

           “What color are you as a wolf?” Kenna asked.

            Lincoln grinned. “Dad says I’m the same color as my hair.”

            The four other girls- Kenna, Maggie, Brittni, and Raven- ooo’d appreciatively, while the boys- Sawyer, Liam, Samson, and Argent- rolled their eyes. “Boring!” Samson declared.

           “How many scars do you have?” Argent asked, a gleam in his eyes.

           “Four, so far.” And she proceeded to show them the three on her forearm and the one on her torso, just the same as she’d already shown Kenna.

           The interrogation session lasted for about half an hour before Lincoln said, “Guys… thanks. You know, for not abandoning me or whatever. Because, like, I’d get it. Sort of. My dad’s a werewolf, so I’ve never been afraid of them, but… I know a lot of people are, and I’d understand.”

           Kenna rolled her eyes. “We’re Gryffindors, Lincoln. It takes a lot more than a five-foot-four werewolf to scare us off.”

          “What if your dad was the one who bit you?” Liam asked quietly. It was the first time he’d spoken since the train had begun to move.

          Samson hit him, saying “Uncle Remus would never!”

          Lincoln shook her head. “Dad takes his wolfsbane every month, and then Papa and Uncle James stay with him because they worry about him. They were all in his office when it happened.”

          “But how do you _know_?” Liam pressed. “I mean, if you don’t remember?”

          “Because,” Lincoln snapped, genuinely upset now, “if my dad _was_ the one who bit me, d’you think he wouldn’t tell me?”

          “Uncle Sirius told me that werewolves who make new werewolves are lonely and need companions. Uncle Remus has already got companions; he’s got a husband, three kids, and my parents for friends,” Samson added.

          “Not to mention, you and Harry for nephews,” Lincoln reminded him kindly. “No, my dad was with my papa and Uncle James. Papa said that he heard me scream, and that by the time he found me, whoever did it was already gone.”

          “Good thing for them, too,” Samson added with a grin. “Can you imagine Uncle Sirius finding out who hurt his favorite child?”


	7. Hold On, Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lincoln's first transformation at Hogwarts is a rough one.

           Lincoln found her hands shaking as the train began to slow down near Hogwarts. Kenna noticed her trembling fingers and clasped her hand briefly. “Hey,” Kenna said quietly, “don’t worry. I’ve got your back. And if anyone says anything mean, we’ll just walk straight by. Got it?”

           Lincoln squeezed Kenna’s hand. “Thanks. You’re right. Let’s do this, we’re Gryffindors.” And she followed Kenna and the others out to the carriages.

           As soon as they were off the train, Arcta Lestrange came dancing up, sneering. “Looks like there’s _two_ filthy mongrels at Hogwarts, now. Careful there, Elfige, or Lincoln’ll make it _three_.”

          “Bugger off, Lestrange,” Kenna muttered, pulling Lincoln away.

           Lincoln narrowed her eyes at the fourth-year student, ignoring Kenna’s tugging hand. “Did you know,” she said, rather conversationally, “that your mum and dad are first cousins? I always thought you were so stupid because your dad looks like he’s half-troll, but it turns out that it’s inbreeding. Who knew?”

            “At least _my_ blood isn’t tainted by Muggles or mutts!” Arcta spat, stung.

            Lincoln shrugged. “I’d rather have tainted blood than a T on all my exams. Is it true that you were nearly held back a year? I didn’t even know that happened in Hogwarts. If you really need help in Defense, I’m sure my mutt dad would be willing to tutor you,” Lincoln added before finally following Kenna to an empty carriage.

            “Is it true that Mr. and Mrs. Lestrange are cousins?” Kenna asked quietly.

            Lincoln closed her eyes and leaned back in the seat of the carriage. “No idea. But Papa says that the Blacks have been in-marrying for quite a while to keep the bloodline pure. He says it’s only a matter of time before they all start sprouting extra toes.”

            Kenna giggled as three third-year Hufflepuffs joined them in the carriage. “Hello, Kenna, Lincoln,” said Ralph Nethvens.

            The others—Mary Grindthel and John Howard—eyed Lincoln carefully for a moment, and Kenna rolled her eyes. “Hello Ralph, Mary, John. Don’t worry, her transformation was two nights ago. She’s too tired now to attack you.”

            “I prefer steak anyway,” Lincoln muttered, not opening her eyes. “Much tastier, you understand. Plus there’s the whole part where I wouldn’t get put to death for eating a cow, whereas you lot… well, if I made a meal of you, I wouldn’t live to see thirteen.”

            Ralph laughed. “Well, that’s settled. Mary, John, relax. It’s still Lincoln.”

            Mary sighed. “Sorry. Just… can’t be too careful, you see.”

            At this, Lincoln opened her eyes. “Yeah, I get it. Sort of. I’ve been living with a werewolf all my life and never been frightened.”

            “Yes, well, Professor Lupin is… well, he’s _Lupin_. He wears all those awful cardigans and hands out chocolate. You’re a bit more…” John trailed off before deciding on, “unpredictable.”

            Lincoln scoffed. “Sure. I transfigure your common room fire into a fire lion _one_ time, and now I’m some kind of raging monster.”

            Ralph and Mary laughed, and John looked abashed. “You’re right,” John agreed after a moment. “Sorry.”

            At the Sorting, Lincoln was half-hoping that Micah would join her in Gryffindor. When Professor McGonnagall called, “Lupin-Black, Micah,” she waved encouragingly to him. He nodded back, having turned a pale shade of green.

            The hat deliberated for a few moments before declaring, “RAVENCLAW!” Micah leapt from the chair, brimming with excitement. Lincoln felt her heart sink for a moment, until she remembered when, a year earlier, Micah had told her how much he hoped to end up in Ravenclaw. She cheered loudly and sent him a thumbs-up.

            It wasn’t until the next full moon that Lincoln fully understood the toll that transformations could take on her. She had four assignments due and was hurrying to get the last bits of the first one done when her father appeared in the common room. “Lincoln,” he said, “you should be resting, not working.”

            “But, Dad, this essay is due in Potions, and I don’t want to disappoint Aunt Lily, and—”

            “Lincoln. Come on, homework can wait. It’s time.” Remus reached out and placed a hand between Lincoln’s shoulder blades as she stood to join him. “Professor Potter will not be disappointed, I’m sure of it. She’s told me that you are an excellent student.”

            “And there’s—”

            “Lincoln. Keeping your friends safe is more important than homework. Okay? Let’s just focus on getting through this moon, then you can focus on the work. You’ve been excused from classes till Monday to recover. Samson has already agreed to share his notes with you,” Remus added before Lincoln could protest.

            Once they were safely inside the Shrieking Shack, Lincoln began to tremble. “Daddy, I wish Papa were here,” she admitted.

            Remus closed his eyes briefly. “So do I, darling. Listen, you’ve done so well the last two moons. You can do this,” he told her, bending to look her in the eyes and taking her face into his hands. “You are such a strong young woman. You have been so brave.”

            “But, Daddy, what if—”

            “I’ve taken my potion, love. I will not leave you and I will not let anyone near you. I will not allow anything to happen, do you understand me? I am your father, and yes, I wish Papa were here, too, but I will not let anything happen to you. Do you trust me?” Remus’ eyes, lined beyond his years, burned bright with his desire to make Lincoln feel safe.

            Finally, Lincoln nodded. She could feel the pull of the moon in her bones and she groaned against the ache. “Daddy, it hurts,” she said quietly.

            “I know, darling. It won’t be long, and it’ll be morning, and I’m sure that Micah will come to see you. It’s alright.”

            The transformation was more painful than Lincoln remembered. She still did not cry out—not because she didn’t want to, but because she knew it would break her father’s heart—but she did not hold back her tears when she woke. She had gouged gashes into her left calf, four long, deep cuts that Remus was rushing to stop the bleeding from.

            “Hold on, love, it’ll be alright,” he promised, frustrated as they wouldn’t stop bleeding. “Come here, I want you to hold the pressure on these and I’m going to carry you to the hospital wing. They’re too deep, and I can’t close them.”

            Lincoln pressed the bandages against her leg and gritted her teeth with a gasp. “ _Damn it!_ ” she groaned. “That hurts.”

            Remus scooped Lincoln up into his arms. “Just keep the pressure there, I don’t want it to bleed too much more or you’ll be sick.”

            Lincoln caught a glimpse of the blood running over onto her hands and her head began to spin. “I’m gonna be sick either way, Dad.”

            “Hold on, love, we’ll be there in a few minutes. Close your eyes, just breathe.” Remus was walking across the grounds as quickly as he could with Lincoln in his arms. The sun was just starting to creep over the horizon, and in the early light, he could see that Lincoln was deathly pale. Remus cursed under his breath.

            Lincoln fainted, exhausted from the transformation and overwhelmed by the blood and the pain.


	8. Brilliant

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lincoln's friends come through in the aftermath of her transformation.

            When Lincoln came to in the hospital wing, her leg was wrapped in white bandages and Sirius and Remus were on either side of her, Cassi standing with Sirius and Micah with Remus. “Papa? Cassi? What—”

            Sirius cut her off with a sigh of relief. “Merlin, Lincoln, you gave us a fright,” he muttered as he bent to kiss Lincoln’s forehead.

            “What—”

            “You passed out on the way across the grounds,” Remus told her, his voice hoarse.

            “You’ve been out all morning. It’s just past lunch now,” Micah added.

            “Papa, Cassi, what are you doing here?” Lincoln finally managed to ask.

            “What are we doing here?” Sirius repeated incredulously. “Lincoln, you were very seriously injured.”

            “But, it’s such a long way—”

            “Not by Floo, it’s not,” Remus assured her. “Don’t worry, they’ll go home tonight. All that matters is that you’re okay.”

            Lincoln heard a commotion near the door. “Poppy, please. I’m her godmother, I demand to see Lincoln this instant!”

            “Aunt Lily!” Cassi cried, and ran over to Lily.

            “It’s alright, Poppy,” Remus called, “She’s awake.”

            Madam Pomfrey followed Lily over to Lincoln’s bed. “How are you feeling, Miss Lupin-Black?” she asked.

            “I’m _knackered_ ,” Lincoln groaned. “And everything hurts. I’m fine,” she added at the concerned looks of her family, “I’m just _really_ exhausted and I… I want to see Kenna.”

            Sirius and Remus smiled. “Kenna will come up after her lessons,” Lily assured her. “I just wanted to come see that you’re doing alright.” Lily conjured a bouquet to sit on Lincoln’s bedside table. “Here, to brighten up the view a bit. That leg looks like you’ll be here a few days.”

            “Thanks, Aunt Lily.”

            “You’re welcome.” Lily leaned down to kiss Lincoln’s cheek. “I’ll give you a day’s extension on your essay since you’ll be here so long. I want it on Tuesday at the beginning of class.”

            “Yes, Professor.”

            Lily left, and Cassi climbed into Lincoln’s bed without asking. “What happened?” she asked innocently, staring at the bandages on her big sister’s leg.

            “I hurt myself,” Lincoln shrugged. “Daddy had to carry me here.”

            Micah joined his sisters. “Let’s have a quick nap, shall we? I’ve been excused from Herbology to visit you, and Dad and Papa want to have a talk.”

            Once the kids had fallen asleep, Sirius fixed a stern eye on Remus. “You haven’t slept.”

            “Of course I haven’t, Pads. Our daughter was unconscious.” Remus added.

            “I know. But Madam Pomfrey was taking care of her. She’s safe now, come on, get some sleep. You look wrecked,” Sirius added. He conjured a squashy armchair next to Lincoln’s bed. “Here, now you won’t even have to leave her side to get some sleep.”

            Remus sank into it gratefully. “Thank you, Sirius. And thank you for coming. She was worried, transforming without both of us.”

            “D’you think I should start coming to be with you two for the full moon?” Sirius asked.

            Remus shook his head, sighing. “No. She was okay once she calmed down. We’ve got to let her figure this out.” He stretched his arms out to Sirius. “C’mon. Join me.”

            Sirius sat crossways in Remus’ lap, his legs flung carelessly over one arm and his head on Remus’ shoulder. “How are the other students treating her?” Sirius asked.

            “Not too badly, from what I can see. Some of Micah’s classmates acted like they were afraid of her, and Micah spent an entire breakfast lecturing them, from the look of it,” Remus said with a smile. “The Lestrange girl won’t stop talking about it, but most of the students like Lincoln. After she made those suits of armor do a Conga line through the Halloween feast last year with Harry and Ron, she’s been very well-liked.”

            Sirius grinned. “She’s brilliant, isn’t she?”

            “All of our kids are,” Remus agreed. “All of Micah’s instructors tell me he’s the brightest in his year. Has Cassi shown any more signs of magic?”

            “Yes. You know how she’s taken up painting? Well, all of her little stick figure paintings are enchanted. Not a lot, mind you, but enough to move around the paper a bit.” Sirius grinned.

            When he looked up, Remus was just beginning to doze off. Sirius pressed a kiss Remus’ cheek as he stood. Careful not to wake any of the kids, Sirius collected Cassi and returned to Madam Pomfrey’s fire to Floo home.

            Remus woke a half-hour later, unsurprised to find Sirus and Cassi gone, but disappointed nonetheless. He woke Micah gently. “Time to wake up, love. You’ve got Transfiguration in half an hour.”

            “But, Lincoln will be alone if I go,” Micah protested.

            “She’ll be fine,” Remus assured him. “Your big sister’s very strong, she’s going to be okay.”

            Micah extracted himself from the bed, pulling the blankets up around Lincoln. “Dad, what’s gonna happen to her?”

            “What do you mean?”

            “I’ve been doing a lot of reading on werewolves… and all the books say that a werewolf without a pack will live a life of poverty and loneliness. I don’t want that for her,” Micah added.

            Remus sighed and said, “There are very, very few accurate books on werewolves, Micah. With the wolfsbane potion, werewolves don’t have to live the lives they used to. Some, like Fenrir Greyback and his pack, choose to be more wolf than human, but some, like Lincoln and I, do not.”

            Micah looked at his sister for a long moment before saying, “If there are no accurate books, I’ll write them. I’ll do the research and I’ll write better books.”

            Remus smiled. “That sounds like a wonderful idea. Now go on, you’ll never be able to write those books if you don’t finish school, and you’ve got a Transfiguration lesson soon.”

 

            When Lincoln next woke, she was not alone. In fact, far from it, she was surrounded, and what had woken her was Madam Pomfrey’s indignant, “ _Four_ at a _time_! _Somebody_ must come back _later!_ This girl needs _rest!_ ”

            Around her bed stood Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Kenna, Samson, and Ralph. “It’s alright,” Lincoln called to Madam Pomfrey. “I’ve been resting all day, please let them stay.”

            Madam Pomfrey glared at the group before turning to Hermione. “Miss Granger, as a Prefect, I expect you to make sure they all behave themselves. You may have half an hour, then I want _everyone_ gone!”

            “Of course, Madam Pomfrey,” Hermione agreed as Harry flopped into the armchair Remus had slept in earlier that day. “Lincoln, how are you feeling?”

            Lincoln considered for a moment before settling on, “ _Starved_. I haven’t eaten since last night.”

            “Sure you didn’t take down a cow, there?” Ralph asked with a grin. Ron made to whack him, but Lincoln returned the grin.

            “Nah,” she said, gesturing to her leg, “I went after myself instead.”

            “Is it true what they’re saying?” Kenna asked. “Did you really lose so much blood you passed out and Professor Lupin had to carry you here?”

            Lincoln nodded. “In fairness, he was already carrying me when I passed out,” she added, trying to lighten Kenna’s mood. “I wasn’t in any real danger, I promise. I was just knackered and saw all the blood and, oh yeah, I had just experienced a full-body transformation. _Twice_. It’s not like I was going to die or anything.”

            “It’d take a bit more than that to take you down, wouldn’t it?” Ron said bracingly. “Maybe when you’re old enough to take the wolfsbane potion, you can sneak into the Slytherin common room and give them all a fright, yeah?”

            Harry, Ralph, Ginny, and Lincoln all laughed at the prospect, but Kenna, Samson, and Hermione glared. “That’s not funny,” Samson said quietly. “What if one of the former Death Eaters’ kids were there? They’d hex the hell out of Lincoln and claim self-defense, then try and have her kicked out of school.”

            “Oh, calm down,” Harry said, waving a dismissive hand. “It’s not as if she’d actually do it.”

            “But just imagine the look on Pansy Parkinson’s face,” Ginny added dreamily, feigning a look of terror and holding her nose up to resemble a pig’s. Even Hermione chuckled at that.

            Finally, Madam Pomfrey shoo’d everyone away. “Can Kenna stay, Madam Pomfrey?” Lincoln begged. “If only because I know she has some food for me and I haven’t eaten all day?”

            Madam Pomfrey threw up her hands in the air, exasperated. “Fine! But visiting hours end at six!”

            Lincoln turned to Kenna, who had taken up residence in the armchair. “Please tell me you actually have food for me. I’m starved.”

            Kenna rolled her eyes and pulled out a sandwich. “The house elves heard you had a rough night. Here.” As Lincoln tore into it, Kenna continued. “Linc, you scared me. What if…”

            “What if what?” Lincoln said around a mouthful of ham sandwich. “Kens, my dad was there. He had his potion, and he took care of me. That’s what he does.”

            “Lincoln, you _could_ have died. If you’d scratched any deeper, or near an artery… and your dad wouldn’t be able to bring you up here if you’d bled out while you were still a wolf.” Kenna fiddled with one of her yarn twists. “I’m worried that next time, there won’t be time to wait for you to change back.”

            Lincoln, having inhaled the sandwich, took a drink from the glass of water that had sat, untouched, on her bedside table for most of the afternoon. She shrugged. “So what if it is?”

            “Lincoln!”

            “Look, I’m not saying I don’t care if I live or die, but you have to admit, in that instance, there wouldn’t be much anyone could do, other than maybe wait till I had passed out from the bleeding to bring me back. Even weakened, if I were near anyone while I was a wolf…” Lincoln shuddered. “Look, my dad was turned into a werewolf when he was four. The wolfsbane potion didn’t come out till he was almost twenty-six, right after he and Papa adopted me. He never died. Papa said there were some close calls, but he was always okay. I’m not worried.”

            Kenna sighed and scowled before saying, “I’m going to make a post-moon kit for you. You’re going to take it with you every month. It’ll have some essence of dittany in it, so that this doesn’t have to be so scary again.”

            A yawn overtook Lincoln. “Kens, you don’t have to do that.”

            “I know I don’t, but I’ll feel better if I do. Now go to sleep, I’ll be back tomorrow.”

            A steady stream of visitors filtered in and out over the course of the next few days, till, finally, on Sunday evening, Madam Pomfrey released Lincoln. She had spent her free moments finishing her homework, so she was planning to spend the evening in front of the fire with the book Sirius had brought her.

            Instead, she found the common room full of people, with a banner that said, “You Survived!” hanging from the ceiling. It looked as if the whole House had packed themselves into the common room for the party, and they all cheered as Lincoln made her way through the portrait hole.

            Kenna and Samson greeted her with a hot mug of butterbeer and a quick hug. “You guys didn’t have to do this!” Lincoln cried.

            “Sure we did,” Samson grinned. “Surviving a transformation is a hell of a lot more impressive than catching a snitch, but my brother still gets three parties a year thrown for him.”

            “We’re just proud of you, that’s all,” Kenna added. “Now, come on, Maggie wants to play you in chess.”

            No one—Lincoln included—had seen Remus Lupin follow Lincoln into the common room. He had been intent on making sure she was up to classes the following day, and that she was healthy enough to leave the hospital wing. He watched, smiling, as she sat across the table from another student and began to play chess. Her childhood would be nothing like his had been as a werewolf. She wouldn’t feel alone, wouldn’t feel isolated, and wouldn’t feel the need to constantly lie. Before anyone could spot him and the party could die down, Remus left the common room and returned to his office.


	9. Fat Chance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It turns out that even werewolves have rebellious streaks. Who knew?

            Near Halloween in Lincoln’s fourth year, the day after her fifteenth birthday, she cornered Kenna in their dormitory. “Can you show me how to do eyeliner?” she asked.

            Kenna grinned and turned to her makeup bag. It was the size of a lunchbox and was entirely disorganized, bulging with the contents within. “Here,” she said, pulling out a dark grey. “Not quite as subtle as brown, but not nearly as noticeable as a good black. Lovely for your first go-round. And you’ll want some mascara, brown, and a nice nude lip. If you turn out to like it, I don’t recommend you buy cosmetics from any wizarding company. They always do things you don’t expect. The Muggles have much better makeup.”

            Kenna kept up a commentary on how to hold the pencil and how to match the color to whatever she was wearing for the day while she applied the makeup. “I don’t think you should wear foundation. You’ll think it’ll cover this scar-“ and she touched the scar Lincoln had sustained the previous month, which started just above her left eyebrow and arched across her nose and right cheekbone before curving down and ending at the point of her jaw—“but it’ll just make it even more noticeable, and not in the good way. Besides, mine would be much too dark for you, and you’ve got good enough skin, anyway; maybe it’s a werewolf thing that you never get zits! Your dad always looks bloody fit, anyway,” Kenna added, raising her eyebrows.

            Lincoln groaned. “My dad always looks exhausted because he always _is_ exhausted, Kenna. Your crush on him is weird.” Lincoln looked over at her reflection. “Besides, I don’t think I want to cover this scar. If I’m going to get the werewolf community to take me seriously as their representative to the Ministry, I’ve got to look like a werewolf. I like the eyeliner, thank you Kenna.”

            After breakfast, Kenna and Lincoln sat near the back of Defense, still talking—mostly about the prank they were planning to pull on the Hufflepuffs that night at dinner. “You’re sure that the shampoo will only change their hair color for a few days?” Kenna asked for the fifteenth time. “It’s not like they’re those seventh-year Slytherins that hexed the Ravenclaw Quidditch captain, we just want a laugh.”

            “I’m sure,” Lincoln assured her. “I ran it by Aunt Lily. I told her I wanted to change _my_ hair,” she added.

            “Professor Potter’s gonna know it was us!” Kenna protested.

            “Yeah, and she’s gonna think it’s hilarious. Besides, who cares if we get another detention? This time last year, we’d each gotten four, and we’ve only gotten one this year.” Lincoln looked up. Remus had approached her desk, looking murderous.

            “Miss Lupin-Black, see me after class,” he ordered curtly.

            “Yes, sir,” she replied innocently.

            “I’ll see you after class, Professor,” Kenna offered. Lincoln elbowed her sharply in the ribs.

            “That won’t be necessary, Miss Elfige. This is between my daughter and myself.” Remus returned to the front of the room and began his lecture on blocking spells.

            “Why do you do this to me?” Lincoln asked. “He’s clearly already pissed at me, Merlin only knows why, your flirting doesn’t help.”

            After class, Lincoln approached Remus’ desk. “Is this a Professor Lupin situation or a Dad situation?” she asked.

            “Lincoln Rose Lupin-Black, what the hell is on your face?” he asked in lieu of an answer.

            “It’s a scar, Dad.”

            “Not that,” he growled. “On your eyes. And your lips.”

            Lincoln sighed and rolled her eyes. “It’s eyeliner. And mascara. And lipstick.”

            “Take it off.”

            “No!” Lincoln cocked an eyebrow and stared him down. “I like it, and besides, Kenna wears way more makeup than this, you never-“

            “Kenna is not my daughter. Take it off.”

            “You always say that except during an emergency or the full moon, we need to maintain a normal student-instructor relationship. Could you order any other student to take off a teeny tiny bit of makeup?” Lincoln asked.

             “Lincoln-“

            “Professor Lupin, I’m going to be late for Ancient Runes.” And she turned on her heel and left the room.

            “Lincoln, I will write to your father!” Remus called after her, frustrated.

            “Go for it!” she called back, turning and walking backwards as she spoke. “Papa wore eyeliner in school, too!”

            Once she was out of sight and before the students for the next period came filing in, he penned a quick note to Sirius.

            _Sirius-_

_Your daughter is wearing makeup and claiming I can’t do anything about it. Ground her, will you?_

_-Remus_

_PS Give Cassi a kiss from me and tell her not to grow up to be as rebellious as her sister._

 

            Sirius laughed as he read the note. When he picked Cassi up from her grammar school, earning murderous looks from the other parents as he handed her a helmet and pulled her to sit in front of him on his motorcycle, he said, “We’ve got a few errands to run. Dad wants me to ground Lincoln, so we’re buying her some presents.”

            The next morning, Remus and Lily were laughing at the Hufflepuffs’ new Gryffindor-crimson hair when a note dropped into Remus’ lap. “Ah, this will be Sirius’ reply,” he said, still chuckling with Lily.

           

_Remus-_

  1. _Of course, she’s wearing makeup, she’s fifteen years old._
  2. _By her age, I’d been wearing eyeliner for a year._
  3. _She’s absolutely right, you can’t do anything about it._
  4. _I also bought her an extra birthday present._



_-Sirius_

_PS Cassi says, “Fat chance,” and I have to say she’s made me so proud._

          Remus looked up to find Lincoln pulling several colors of eyeliner, tubes of mascara, and lipstick from a package. She held them up to Remus and mouthed, “I win.”

          Lily roared with laughter. “Oh, Remus,” she chuckled, “she does take after Sirius, doesn’t she?”

          That day, after his lecture, Remus called Lincoln to his desk again.

          “You cannot forbid me from wearing what Papa bought me,” she warned.

          “You’re right. I have to let you figure out who you are and what you like, and as long as it’s harmless, I’ll let you. I promise,” he added, holding out his little finger.

           Lincoln grinned and linked hers with it. “Thanks, Professor Lupin.”

          “That said, I know it was you and Kenna who spiked the Hufflepuffs’ shampoo with temporary color-changing potion. You’ve both got detention tomorrow night with me.”


	10. I Thought

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the final chapter, Lincoln is all grown up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for going MIA before posting the final chapter. Things got crazy, I got distracted, and I kind of suck at life. Here she is though!

           Lincoln Lupin-Black was twenty years old when she thought she’d found the one. She had met him while working as WEL’s (Werewolf Equality League’s) liaison to the Ministry, negotiating terms and bringing forward amendments to outdated laws. Luca worked in the next office over from the one she constantly visited, a junior associate in the Department for Magical Law Enforcement.

            After eight months of exclusively dating Luca, she asked if he wanted to meet her parents, and he had agreed with only a touch of trepidation. “Don’t be nervous,” she told him kindly one Friday afternoon as they prepared to leave. “Here, take my arm. Side-along Apparition will be easiest.”

            They landed on the front step and Remus and Sirius greeted her warmly. Sirius was wary of Luca, shaking his hand with more force than was probably necessary, but Remus invited him inside and offered him a cup of tea.

            Luca and Remus talked at length about the uprising of former Death Eaters, and Luca said, “Really, if it weren’t for the amount of damage they’d done, I’d be glad for it. Many of them claimed to be under the Imperius Curse during the first war, but with You-Know-Who dead, it’s obvious they were acting of their own volition then and now.”

            Remus nodded. “I agree. But still, it’s a shame that they managed to injure so many Muggles.”

            Things were going very well until evening fell. While each person brought their dishes into the kitchen after supper, Remus said, “Now, I know that you two are adults in a committed relationship, and I have no allusions about what that entails, but while you are in our home, Sirius and I are not going to allow you to share a bed, not if you aren’t married.”

            “Dad, that’s silly,” Lincoln told him, a bit taken aback. “Luca and I-“

            “Silly or not, neither your papa nor I am comfortable with someone else in your bed while you are in our house. You may be adults, but you are still our child.”

            Lincoln rolled her eyes. “Okay, Dad. Luca and I shared a bag, let me go unpack my things so he can take his to the spare bedroom.”

            Luca followed up to her room. Once the door was closed behind them, he hissed, “What the hell was that, Lincoln? You didn’t even fight them!”

            Lincoln chuckled. “Luca, it’s their house, their rules. What, are you not gonna survive two nights without getting into my pants?” she joked.

            Luca wasn’t laughing; rather, he was gripping Lincoln’s wrist tightly. “I will not stay in the guest room,” he said firmly. “Go tell your fathers that I’m sleeping with you.”

            “Luca, let go,” Lincoln said. He only squeezed harder as she pulled away. “I’m not going to do that. You can stand a few nights without sex and-“

            Werewolf reflexes notwithstanding, Lincoln never saw the hand coming, but she swung back on pure instinct, wrenching her wrist from Luca’s grip. Barely a half-second after the slap to her face landed, Lincoln punched Luca in the jaw.

            “You bitch mutt!” Luca cried, cradling the spot where Lincoln’s fist had connected.

            Remus and Sirius had rushed to Lincoln’s room at the first sign of raised voices, just in time to see Luca slap Lincoln. They started forward, but Lincoln held up a hand. “Dad, Papa, stay out of this,” she ordered before rounding on Luca. She hit him twice more, leaving his left eye blacked and his lower lip swollen, then pulled back and kicked him as hard as she could in the solar plexus. “Who the _hell_ do you think you are?!”

            “How dare you—“ Luca gasped, out of breath, but Lincoln was already ranting over him.

            “Did you really think you could intimidate me with one little slap to the face? I’m a _fucking werewolf_ , Luca. Not just that, I’m a werewolf who is hated and targeted by _Amaruq Greyback_. Do you know who that is? That is Fenrir Greyback’s daughter, and the leader of his pack. I sustain more broken bones in a single year than most people do in their entire lives, so I don’t know what the hell made you think you could control me, and I don’t really care. I want you _gone_. I want you to go to your flat, gather my things, and send them to me, and hope that I don’t fucking burn your shit. Do you understand?”

            Luca changed his approach, raising his hands in surrender. “Lincoln, baby,” he started, but Sirius Black had heard enough.

            “You get the hell out of here before I decide to hide Lincoln and Remus’ wolfsbane,” he ordered, moving forward and seizing the front of Luca’s shirt. “Or I kill you with my bare hands. You laid a hand on my daughter, and I should rip your lungs out of your chest and stuff them down your throat!”

            Remus was only a step behind him. “You’d better leave, Luca. No one hurts our daughter, especially not under our roof. Leave. Now.”

            Luca had paled considerably with the treatment Lincoln had seen him to. Hearing the threats of her parents left him positively ashen. He Disapparated on the spot.

            Sirius glared at the place where he’d stood while Remus rushed over to Lincoln to inspect her cheek. “Are you alright, love?” he asked gently.

            Both Sirius and Remus expected her to shake off the incident with a wisecrack and a smirk, as she had with every transformation and injury she’d sustained for the past several years. They both stared as her voice came out trembling rather than in its usual stoic tone. “I thought he loved me,” she whispered before she began to cry. Remus pulled her into a tight hug and let her sob, sitting down on the bed and tucking her head under his chin. Sirius left the room. “Daddy, I don’t understand, what the hell just happened?” She pulled away to look up at Remus.

            Remus cupped her cheek gently, running his thumb over the bruise forming at the corner of Lincoln’s mouth. “Luca turned out to be… well, everything your papa thought he was, actually. As soon as you two went upstairs, he told me, ‘Moons, we gotta get him out of here. He’s bad news.’”

            “I thought… Dad, he was so wonderful before today. He took me out dancing and he never even flinched when he saw all my scars and… and I loved him! What if he didn’t mean to hit me?”

            “Lincoln, don’t,” Sirius ordered from the doorway. He was carrying a tray with five mugs of hot cocoa on it, and Micah and Cassi were right behind him.

            “Lincoln, those things you described, those don’t exactly classify a guy as ‘wonderful.’ That’s like… the bare minimum of what you should expect from a romantic partner,” Remus reminded her.

            “Now, your siblings heard what happened. When I told them that they couldn’t find Luca and nail his intestines to his forehead for legal reasons, they decided they wanted to stay in here with you tonight,” Sirius announced.

            Cassi, who was fourteen now and nearly as tall as Lincoln, took the tray from Sirius, who took the two mugs meant for himself and Remus. “Lincoln, change into your pajamas. Daddy, Papa, Micah, I hate to kick you out, but she’s gonna be temporarily only half-dressed and I need to talk to her one-on-one,” Cassi said authoritatively.

            Remus turned to Lincoln. “You okay?” he asked, running his thumb once more over the angry red mark. It was beginning to turn blue. When Lincoln nodded, he followed Sirius and Micah out of the room.

            “Pajamas,” Cassi repeated, setting the tray on Lincoln’s bedside table.

            Lincoln started to change into her sweats and tee shirt. “When did you get so bossy?” she asked.

            “I’m channeling my rage. Someone hit my sister, and I want to be stabbing that someone in the heart with their own ribs, but Papa says I’ll go to Azkaban if I do that, and I love you, but I doubt I’d make it a week in Azkaban, so I’m ordering people around instead.” Cassi sat down on the bed. “Can you expand this? A twin bed will not be comfortable for all three of us, especially now that Micah’s latest growth spurt has made him taller than Dad.”

            Lincoln pulled her hair into a messy bun at the top of her head and waved her wand to expand the bed. It stretched to take up most of the floorspace of the small bedroom.

            “Very nice,” Cassi commented. “So, was he handsome?”

            Lincoln sighed. “Yeah, he was. Red hair, green eyes. Tall.” She touched her cheek and sighed again. “Strong hands.”

            “Too bad he turned out to be the literal worst,” Cassi shrugged. “Want me to sabotage his broom?”

            Lincoln smiled and sat next to Cassi. “No, I don’t want you anywhere near him. I did kick him in the chest, that really knocked the breath out of him.”

            Micah knocked on the door. “I’m coming in, don’t be naked!” he called.

            “You’re good, we’re clothed!” Lincoln assured him. Micah came in and passed mugs of hot cocoa to Cassi and to Lincoln and climbed into bed with them.

            “Let me see your face,” he said, turning Lincoln’s face with two long fingers on her chin. He hissed when he saw the bruise; it had turned completely blue and bloomed from the corner of her mouth up to her cheekbone.

            “I kicked his ass, if that makes you feel any better,” Lincoln told him with a smile.

            “Yeah, Papa told me you were amazing. He and Dad also both told me that the only reason they didn’t kill him was because they thought you’d do a better job of it.” Micah wrapped his arm around Lincoln and squeezed lightly. “But if he comes back, I promise to hex him into next year.”

            Lincoln leaned on Micah’s shoulder. “Pinkie promise?” she asked, holding out her little finger.

            Micah grinned. “Pinkie promise.”


End file.
